Coming to a drive-in near you: financial challenge

Online voting program will help fund switch to digital for some

John Watzke, a 3rd generation projectionist, spools up the Ocala Drive In's double feature of "Turbo" and "Wolverine" through the brain and platter Friday afternoon. Car maker Honda has launched an internet vote to fund digital conversion at five drive-ins in the country.

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Yet its biggest challenge looms: By the end of the year, films coming out of Hollywood will be distributed in digital format only, rendering the drive-in's aging film projector useless, a soon-to-be relic of a bygone day.

But wait! There's a glimmer in the gloom. It seems that we, the computer users in Marion County, can be the hero this time. All it will take is a click of the mouse every day within a month.

The American Honda Motor Company on Aug. 9 will launch Project Drive-In, which will use Internet votes to try to save a handful of the 357 drive-ins in the United States from closing. The website for voting is www.projectdrivein.com.

When voting ends Sept. 9, the five drive-ins that received the most votes will get a new digital projection system fully installed, a package worth about $100,000.

Project Drive-In also allows a donation option. If people donate enough, six or seven drive-ins could receive grants.

“The goal of Project Drive-In is to mobilize the country and save as many drive-ins as possible,” wrote Connor Gomez, who is handling the Internet vote for Honda, in an email announcing the project.

On Thursday, Gomez added, “The main reason Honda is doing this is because drive-ins are a big part of the American car culture, and they want to support that car culture.”

Ocala Drive-In co-owner John Watzke sees the vote as the drive-in's hero-to-be.

“This is a way we can do this (convert to digital),” he said. “We have a good chance.”

He may be right. Only about 50 venues submitted themselves for the vote, Gomez said. Additionally, Ocala has a history of success in Internet voting; three years ago, Ocala outpaced 1,700 other cities in Internet voting to secure a screening of a “Grease Sing-A-Long.”

Watzke didn't say what he and his brother, Charlie, might do if Ocala doesn't win; only that converting the drive-in could cost as much as $110,000.

The historic venue now shows first-run movies, but admission prices barely cover the cost of a double feature, he said. Profits from concessions go for overhead — mortgage, insurance, electricity.

“We pay $2,500 a month just for power,” he said. Squeezing out an extra 100 grand would be difficult without a price increase — “and that's if we can even do it,” he added.

On Monday, the Watzkes will mark the second anniversary of re-opening the drive-in. In March they also marked a century since their family has been in the business.

“Our grandfather started as a projectionist in 1913,” John Watzke said.

The move to digital has been in the works for nearly a decade. In 2005, John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, asked association members if they were ready.

“Digital cinema will precipitate exhibition's most important technological transition since the invention of the talkies,” he wrote in an association publication.

To help with the cost, the association helped develop a plan with distributors to partially subsidize movie theaters.

Drive-ins, Watzke said, were left out of the plan and had to fend for themselves.

D. Edward Vogel, a spokesman for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association, said that while drive-ins were part of the talks, “we were finally told in February we had until April 30 to be registered and installed by June 30. They gave us what, about 80 days?” Indoor venues had years, he said.

Watzke predicted “as many as half of the drive-ins in this country will close.”

Maybe, maybe not, Vogel said: “I see more and more of our members making the jump to digital.” Many are finding the financing, absorbing the cost themselves.

On Tuesday, Watzke launched a Facebook drive to drum up local support.

“The response has been overwhelming,” he said.

The Facebook appeal has been seen by more than 21,000 and shared more than 1,000 times. But will that translate into votes?

“PLEASE VOTE for our Ocala Drive-in !!!” responded Chrissy Arnott Burns on Facebook. “Many of you have been to our drive-in and enjoyed a great movie at an incredible price as well as yummy snacks. Our family has great memories there.”

Katherine Osburn-Day also urged a daily vote. “Drive-ins are one of those things that once we lose it, we can't ever get it back,” she said. “I love sharing the experience with my kids and now my grandkids; it's important to preserve that sense of community.”

<p>The Ocala Drive-In has seen its share of woe. Twice in 10 years it closed, only to see a hero revive the venerable facility on South Pine Avenue.</p><p>Yet its biggest challenge looms: By the end of the year, films coming out of Hollywood will be distributed in digital format only, rendering the drive-in's aging film projector useless, a soon-to-be relic of a bygone day.</p><p>But wait! There's a glimmer in the gloom. It seems that we, the computer users in Marion County, can be the hero this time. All it will take is a click of the mouse every day within a month.</p><p>The American Honda Motor Company on Aug. 9 will launch Project Drive-In, which will use Internet votes to try to save a handful of the 357 drive-ins in the United States from closing. The website for voting is www.projectdrivein.com.</p><p>When voting ends Sept. 9, the five drive-ins that received the most votes will get a new digital projection system fully installed, a package worth about $100,000.</p><p>Project Drive-In also allows a donation option. If people donate enough, six or seven drive-ins could receive grants.</p><p>“The goal of Project Drive-In is to mobilize the country and save as many drive-ins as possible,” wrote Connor Gomez, who is handling the Internet vote for Honda, in an email announcing the project.</p><p>On Thursday, Gomez added, “The main reason Honda is doing this is because drive-ins are a big part of the American car culture, and they want to support that car culture.”</p><p>Ocala Drive-In co-owner John Watzke sees the vote as the drive-in's hero-to-be.</p><p>“This is a way we can do this (convert to digital),” he said. “We have a good chance.”</p><p>He may be right. Only about 50 venues submitted themselves for the vote, Gomez said. Additionally, Ocala has a history of success in Internet voting; three years ago, Ocala outpaced 1,700 other cities in Internet voting to secure a screening of a “Grease Sing-A-Long.”</p><p>Watzke didn't say what he and his brother, Charlie, might do if Ocala doesn't win; only that converting the drive-in could cost as much as $110,000.</p><p>The historic venue now shows first-run movies, but admission prices barely cover the cost of a double feature, he said. Profits from concessions go for overhead — mortgage, insurance, electricity.</p><p>“We pay $2,500 a month just for power,” he said. Squeezing out an extra 100 grand would be difficult without a price increase — “and that's if we can even do it,” he added.</p><p>On Monday, the Watzkes will mark the second anniversary of re-opening the drive-in. In March they also marked a century since their family has been in the business.</p><p>“Our grandfather started as a projectionist in 1913,” John Watzke said.</p><p>The move to digital has been in the works for nearly a decade. In 2005, John Fithian, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, asked association members if they were ready.</p><p>“Digital cinema will precipitate exhibition's most important technological transition since the invention of the talkies,” he wrote in an association publication.</p><p>To help with the cost, the association helped develop a plan with distributors to partially subsidize movie theaters.</p><p>Drive-ins, Watzke said, were left out of the plan and had to fend for themselves.</p><p>D. Edward Vogel, a spokesman for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association, said that while drive-ins were part of the talks, “we were finally told in February we had until April 30 to be registered and installed by June 30. They gave us what, about 80 days?” Indoor venues had years, he said.</p><p>Watzke predicted “as many as half of the drive-ins in this country will close.”</p><p>Maybe, maybe not, Vogel said: “I see more and more of our members making the jump to digital.” Many are finding the financing, absorbing the cost themselves.</p><p>On Tuesday, Watzke launched a Facebook drive to drum up local support.</p><p>“The response has been overwhelming,” he said.</p><p>The Facebook appeal has been seen by more than 21,000 and shared more than 1,000 times. But will that translate into votes?</p><p>“PLEASE VOTE for our Ocala Drive-in !!!” responded Chrissy Arnott Burns on Facebook. “Many of you have been to our drive-in and enjoyed a great movie at an incredible price as well as yummy snacks. Our family has great memories there.”</p><p>Katherine Osburn-Day also urged a daily vote. “Drive-ins are one of those things that once we lose it, we can't ever get it back,” she said. “I love sharing the experience with my kids and now my grandkids; it's important to preserve that sense of community.”</p><p><I>Contact Rick Allen at rick.allen@starbanner.com or 867-4154.</i></p>